On one occasion, he claimed he found his wife Kathy levitating across the bed and, on another, he saw a vision of DeFeo's head floating in the cellar. DeFeo was tried and convicted for the 1974 killings of Nissa Burkhalter Bio She was the ex of Ronald DeFeo who was an American mass executioner. Birth Sign Libra. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from, From the archives: EW takes a trip to Amityville. "As far as I'm concerned, if I didn't kill my family, they were going to kill me," DeFeo reportedly said at trial. In court, he talked of hearing voices that told him that the rest of the family was plotting against him. I loved my family very much, he said at a 1999 parole hearing, according to AP. This may be a good place to introduce yourself and your site or include some credits. Vault Links: FOIA Home. DeFeo, 69, died on March 12, 2021 at Albany Medical Center, according to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Since the Lutz family moved out, subsequent owners of the house have changed its address number and appearance to deter visitors. John Matthew DeFeo (1965-1974) - Find a Grave Memorial Address Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! As US Day News writes, "It was reported that his cause of death would be determined and announced by the Albany County Medical Examiner's Office officially. The story of Ronald DeFeo Jr by Bronco6666 on DeviantArt Ronald DeFeo Jr., whose 1974 murders of his Long Island, N.Y., family inspired the horror movie franchise The Amityville Horror, has died in prison at age 69, state officials said Monday. In 1974, as his parents and four siblings slept in their three-story home in Long Island, New York, a 23-year-old, Nearly a half-century later, it remains one of the most infamous cases of familicide. New York, NY 10001, Hours On March 12th, mass murder Ronald DeFeo Jr passed away in prison at the age of 69. "'There were sounds," George Lutz told ABC. [3]The victims were Ronald Jr.'s parents: Ronald DeFeo Sr. (age 43) and Louise DeFeo (ne Brigante, 43); and his four siblings: Dawn (18), Allison (13), Marc (12), and John Matthew (9). Ronald DeFeo - Murders, Movie & Family - Biography Screams to Screens: The Amityville Horror. Search Vault. 'Amityville Horror' killer Ronald DeFeo Jr. dies in prison Ronald DeFeo Jr. ~ Complete Information [ Wiki | Photos | Videos ] He was 69. One of the group, DeFeo's friend Joe Yeswit, made an emergency call to the Suffolk County Police Department, who searched the house and found that six members of the same family were dead in their beds. Breaking News, Photos, and Videos. DeFeo was serving a sentence of 25 years to life in the 1974 killings in Amityville , on suburban Long Island. A cause of death has not yet been announced. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. The case inspired the book and film versions of . 'Amityville Horror' killer Ronald DeFeo Jr. dies in prison State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Stark called the murders the "most heinous and abhorrent crimes. DeFeo Jr. tried but failed to get a retrial in the case in 1992 after claiming that his 18-year-old sister Dawn had murdered the other family members and he had only killed her, according to the Associated Press. At the time, the family lived in a home in Amityville in Long Island, New York, and Butch worked with his father at a car dealership. While all of these reasons seem plausible, nothing was ever officially confirmed. Copyright 2023 Newsday. Meanwhile, a prosecution expert testified that while DeFeo was an admitted LSD and heroin user, he was sane at the time of the murders, DeFeo Jr. tried but failed to get a retrial in the case in 1992 after claiming that his 18-year-old sister Dawn had murdered the other family members and he had only killed her, according to the, A year after the murders, George and Kathy Lutz purchased the DeFeos' old home but left in less than a month, claiming it was haunted. Murder Victim. His defense attorney, William Weber, tried to make a case that the defendant, who allegedly heard voices, was innocent by reason of insanity,NBC Newsreported. However, it is announced that the Albany County Coroner's Office is not able to publish Ronald DeFeo's . The heinous acts, which occurred in 1974, inspired the Amityville Horror book and film series. When I got a gun in my hand, there's no doubt in my mind who I am. For more true crime stories, watch Family Massacre, premiering Friday, December 3 at 9/8c on Oxygen. 2K Views. Source: Getty 'Amityville Horror' killer Ronald DeFeo dies in prison at 69 Ronald DeFeo Jr., who slaughtered his parents and four siblings in 1974, has died at the age of 69 in prison. Butch died on March 12, 2021, at 69-years-old at a hospital in Albany, New York. He told me there would be a lot of money from book rights and a movie. Distractify is a registered trademark. DeFeo was the oldest of five children born to Ronald, a successful car salesman, and Louise DeFeo . The case inspired the book and film versions of The Amityville Horror. ", The house on Ocean Avenue in Amityville where Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered six family members in 1974. Credit: Kevin P. Coughlin. The Lutzes, who moved into the house after the murders, later claimed that the house was haunted. His 43-year-old parents, Ronald and Louise, were both shot twice. 'Amityville Horror' killer Ronald Defeo Jr. dies in prison at age 69 Youd go down there as kids, not really understanding the gravity of it, but you heard about all the murders in the house. James McNamara, an assistant pastor at the family's church at the time, told reporters. View our online Press Pack. His victims included his parents, two younger sisters, and two little brothers. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the Long Island man serving a life sentence for slaughtering his parents and four siblings in a 1974 crime that would inspire The Amityville Horror book and movie franchise,. Amityville Horror killer Ronald DeFeo dies in N.Y. prison at 69 Some people outside of the case presumed this to mean he'd heard voices in his head as a result of the family home being haunted. He didn't tell the Lutzs about what he heard at first, but couldn't shake his distress and called to warn them to stay out of the second floor room where he heard the voice which had once been Marc and John's bedroom. Ronald Defeo Jr. Net Worth, Age, Bio, Birthday, Height, Facts - BuzzLearn Ronald DeFeo Jr., the convicted killer whose 1974 murders spawned the "Amityville Horror" franchise, died last week while serving a 25 years-to-life prison term, officials said Monday. Their stories of demonic possession helped inspire The Amityville Horror book and original movie, along with the story of the DeFeo family. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. [6] Ronald DeFeo, Jr. was the eldest son of the family, and was also known as "Butch". Though all of the supernatural claims were eventually debunked and the book criticized as a hoax, nearly 30 films either theatrical or direct-to-video have used the Amityville title or concept, including 1983s Amityville 3-D, 2005s The Amityville Horror remake starring Ryan Reynolds, and, in 2017, Amityville: The Awakening. sign hanging outside the main entrance read. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 'Amityville Horror' killer Ronald Defeo Jr. dies in prison at age 69 At around 6.30pm that evening, DeFeo went into a nearby bar asking for help, pretending to have just discovered the bloodbath. He said the killings' lore was elevated with the 1977 novel "The Amityville Horror," by Jay Anson, and the 1979 cult horror film of the same name starring James Brolin. His death was announced yesterday by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. It's no secret that The Amityville Horror made the story a lot more sinister and paranormal than some believe it might have been in real life. DEFEO GRAVE - Amityville Murders Murder Victim. DeFeo was 23 when, in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 1974, he shot and killed his father Ronald DeFeo Sr., his mother Louise, and younger siblings Dawn, Allison, Mark and John Matthew. George and Kathy Lutz moved into the Dutch Colonial home with their three kids a year after the massacre, but famously fled 28 days later without their possessions because they'd been so traumatised by hauntings in the house which included claims of slime oozing from the walls and a priest's hands bleeding after attempting to bless the property. There have been several theories regarding what happened that night in November 1974. DeFeo killed his father, mother, two brothers and two sisters inside their home in Suffolk County, New York, back in 1974, WABC News reported. Tag: ronald defeo jr cause of death. Officials Never Announce Ronald DeFeo's Cause of Death - US day News Related tags : Criminal Previous Article Next Article Criminal He married secondly, Margaret, daughter of Allan Lord Cathcart, by his Helen . [8] DeFeo died on March 12, 2021 at the Albany Medical Center. "'There were sounds," George Lutz told ABC. Ronald DeFeo's Wife. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. (September 26, 1951 March 12, 2021) was an American mass murderer who was tried and convicted for the 1974 killings of his father, mother, two brothers, and two sisters in Amityville, Long Island, New York. The nightmarish account of DeFeo's murders and the Lutz's supernatural ordeal are being reexamined following news of DeFeo's death aged 69 at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in New York on Friday. Ronald DeFeo, 69, died Friday at Albany Medical Center, where he was taken Feb. 2 from a prison in New York's Catskill Mountains, the state Department of Corrections and Community Services. The first document is the record of ownership (courtesy of St. Charles Cemetery and Geraldine DeFeo) to show that Rocco DeFeo purchased the plot, which has now passed onto his immediate family. The year prior, the Lutz family, doing business as Amityville Enterprises, filed legal documents to remove Dimension Films option on the franchise from the court-supervised sale of Weinstein Co. assets. The victims of DeFeo's family members included his parents, Ronald DeFeo, Sr. (43), and Louise (42), two brothers, John (9) and Marc (12), and two sisters, Allison (13), and Dawn (18). . Butch was handed down six sentences of 25 years to life the following month. "Amityville Horror" killer Ronald DeFeo -- who killed his six family members in 1974 on Long Island -- has died behind bars, according to officials. The cause of his death wasn't revealed at the time. Ronald DeFeo, Whose Murder Spree Inspired 'The Amityville Horror,' Dies John Roberton of Earnock (deceased) - Genealogy - geni family tree The movie The Amityville Horror was partly inspired by the real-life murders committed by Ronald DeFeo Jr., who killed his entire family in their Amityville, Long Island, N.Y. home in 1974. According to The New. Lutz also said he would wake up at 3.15am every night around the time when DeFeo carried out the killings. One that left a family dead and the only surviving member of the family and the killer behind bars for the rest of his life. We want to hear from you! 0. In advance of the series premiere, heres what you need to know about the real-life Amityville Horror.. While we all know the story of the haunting of Amityville, before the Lutz family even lived there, a real life horror story occurred within the walls. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. 'Amityville Horror' killer Ronald DeFeo dies in prison - FOX 5 New York Categories ( click to retract ) - Administrative Policy Procedures - Anti-War - Bureau Personnel - Civil Rights - Counterterrorism - Foreign Counterintelligence - Frequently Requested During one moving sale in 2010, hundreds of people came to view the house, with some queuing for hours to get a peek inside. The cause of his death wasn't revealed at the time. A ruling on cause of death is pending an autopsy. The success of both the novel and the movie spawned a long series of sequels both on the bookshelves and in theaters, along with countless TV pseudo-documentaries. 2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards. He claimed he then crawled into the house through a window and stumbled across the bloody scene. All victims were found in the same position, face down in bed. A ruling on cause of death is pending an autopsy. The Article: Copy here The murders were immortalized in Jay Anson's 1977 book about the allegedly true paranormal experiences of the subsequent owners of the home. pic.twitter.com/MmgqWsslkF. Ronald DeFeo Jr., who massacred his entire family in 1974 in their Amityville home while they slept, a case that gained national attention and spawned multiple books and movies, died Friday. They seemed like an average good family, the Rev. Ronald DeFeo Jr., Murderer Who Inspired The Amityville - MovieWeb According to The New. Ronald DeFeo Jr. (1951-2021) - Find a Grave Memorial In the book, the Lutzes fled the house in terror after 28 days of windows slamming, an oozing slime occurring, and ghoulish visions appearing. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. He told police that he arrived shortly after 6 p.m. but found the front door locked. Meanwhile, a prosecution expert testified that while DeFeo was an admitted LSD and heroin user, he was sane at the time of the murders, according to a Newsday report in 2021. He was 69. The story of the murder of the DeFeo family has been told many times, but the truth behind it has never been fully revealed. Ronald DeFeo Jr. died in prison at the age of sixty-nine. Also Read, Charlie Bigelow, Shura Baryshnikov, and Tara Perry. This is the real-life story of his crimes and how they spawned a ghost story which has terrified the world for decades. Follow the news on the latest developments in the Thomas Valva case. DeFeo's initial trial defense was that he had heard his family's voices plotting against him. Their examination of the house was depicted in the film The Conjuring 2 (2016) one of many mainstream movies about the Lutzs' story. Their story inspired author, Jay Ansons 1977 book The Amityville Horror.. One theory of why Butch DeFeo killed his family is because he was under the influence of controlled substances and alcohol. Butch was serving his sentence at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, New York, when he was transferred to a medical center on February 2, 2021. inside their upscale home in suburban Amityville, New York. Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr. was born on September 26, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Ronald DeFeo, Killer in Amityville Horror Case, Dies - Peoplemag On one occasion, he claimed he found his wife Kathy levitating across the bed and, on another, he saw a vision of DeFeo's head floating in the cellar. So, lets find out more about this case then, shall we? Ronald Defeo Jr. - Popular Bio For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Ronald DeFeo at a court hearing in 1992 - he died on Friday at the age of 69 while serving life for the murders of his parents and four siblings in Amityville, New York, The house at 112 Ocean Avenue became one of the darkest addresses in America, Neighbours watched on in horror as six bodies were removed from the house in 1974, (Back row, left to right): John, Allison and Marc (Front row, left to right) Dawn and Ronald Jr, The lever-action rifle DeFeo used in the horrific slaughter of his family, DeFeo initially tried to pin the killings on a mob hitman before confessing to the crimes himself, He died while still serving time in prison - no cause of death has yet been released, George and Kathy Lutz moved into 112 Ocean Avenue a year after the murders, George Lutz reported seeing the glowing red eyes of a pig-like demonic creature out of one of the windows along with a host of other frights inside the house, The house still stands in Amityville, New York, to this day, James Brolin and Margot Kidder played George and Kathy Lutz in The Amityville Horror (1979), Owners have changed the house's address and appearance in more recent years, Local historians are said to be disdainful of the notoriety the films have brought to Amityville. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. The murder weapon was eventually found in Amityville Creek. However, the cause of death has not been made public. "Thereve been four owners since the murders," he told the Washington Post in 2016,"And none of them ran out of the house screaming, and there were no strange experiences., Mom 'stabs 3 of her kids to death and wounds 2 others in unsupervised visit', Daughter of murdered couple linked to Delphi case reveals paranoia, Serena Williams stepmom's debts continue to spiral amid crumbling home battle, Alex Murdaugh looks unrecognizable in new mugshot hours after sentencing, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Ronald DeFeo at a court hearing in 1992 - he died on Friday at the age of 69 while serving life for the murders of his parents and four siblings in Amityville, New York, The house at 112 Ocean Avenue became one of the darkest addresses in America, Neighbours watched on in horror as six bodies were removed from the house in 1974, (Back row, left to right): John, Allison and Marc (Front row, left to right) Dawn and Ronald Jr, The lever-action rifle DeFeo used in the horrific slaughter of his family, DeFeo initially tried to pin the killings on a mob hitman before confessing to the crimes himself, He died while still serving time in prison - no cause of death has yet been released, George and Kathy Lutz moved into 112 Ocean Avenue a year after the murders, George Lutz reported seeing the glowing red eyes of a pig-like demonic creature out of one of the windows along with a host of other frights inside the house, The house still stands in Amityville, New York, to this day, James Brolin and Margot Kidder played George and Kathy Lutz in The Amityville Horror (1979), Owners have changed the house's address and appearance in more recent years, Local historians are said to be disdainful of the notoriety the films have brought to Amityville. The bodies were found in the bedrooms of the family home in the village of Amityville, Long Island. The DeFeo Family Murders Ronald DeFeo, Jr., "Butch" to his family, was born September 26, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York. DeFeo, who was 23 at the time of the murders, would have been eligible for a parole hearing in July. Their account of what they went through was made into a book called The Amityville Horror: A True Story which has been repeatedly adapted into several terrifying Hollywood films. The confessed killer, after first pleading an insanity defense, would later attempt to shift blame on one of his deceased sisters. But much to their disappointment, they weren't allowed to go to the upstairs floors or the basement. He also alleged that his wife, Kathy, would sometimes appear transformed into a wrinkled old woman, and that green slime had oozed from the walls. He died while still serving time on Friday. Offers may be subject to change without notice. DeFeo told detectives: \"Once I started, I just couldn't stop. A prosecution expert testified that while DeFeo was an admitted LSD and heroin user, he was sane at the time of the murders. All Rights Reserved. Former Newsday reporter and editor Bob Keeler, 77, of Stony Brook, interviewed DeFeo at the Attica Correctional Facility in 1986. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. According a 1974 report in The New York Times, the DeFeos were considered, in the words of one neighbor, "a nice, normal family." The cause of his death wasn't immediately known. Ronald DeFeo Dies: Real-Life 'Amityville Horror' Killer Was 69 He died while still serving time in prison - no cause of death has yet been released Credit: YouTube. His crimes horrified America but it was the scene of the crime itself which soon became the greater source of terror. Credit: Barry Sloan. Notorious Amityville Horror killer dies in prison at 69 | EW.com According to Suffolk County Police, the victims were all found lying face down in bed. The book was then turned into a series of films, most notably a 1979 version starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder as the new owners and a 2005 remake starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George in the same roles. FBI Records: The Vault Ronald DeFeo Jr. Newsday originally revealed his passing. "The front door would slam shut in the middle of the night.". Ronald DeFeo Jr was serving a 25-to-life sentence for the brutal killing of his mom, dad, two sisters and two brothers. Death 12 Mar 2021 (aged 69) Albany, Albany County, New York, USA . . 'Amityville Horror' killer, Ronald DeFeo Jr, dies in prison at 69 This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Another potential motive was that he benefited from a hefty insurance policy. "I believe he wanted to tell another side of the story," Keeler said. Although DeFeo attempted to defend his actions in court through insanity and self-defense, the prosecution successfully argued that he was aware of the consequences of his actions.